to lose

JLPT N5 6 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of (diū)

The character primarily means "to lose" or "to throw." It is commonly used when talking about losing personal items, such as keys or wallets, as well as the action of throwing something physically.

Common contexts

  • Losing something unintentionally: "" (lost the wallet).
  • Throwing an object to someone: "" (throw to a teammate).
  • Describing forgetfulness or carelessness: "丢三落四" (scatterbrained, forgetful).

Collocations and patterns

  • 东西 (lose things): used when something is misplaced or lost.
  • (lose face): a common idiom meaning to be embarrassed.
  • 丢三落四: an idiomatic expression describing someone who is forgetful or careless.

Nuances

When using to mean "lose," it often implies accidental loss rather than intentional disposal. For throwing, it is more casual and can be used in everyday conversation. Avoid confusing with (rēng), which also means "to throw" but is more neutral and less colloquial.

Tone and register

is informal and widely used in spoken Mandarin. It fits well in daily conversations but is less common in formal writing where more precise verbs might be preferred.

Example Sentences

I lost my wallet yesterday and looked for it for a long time but couldn't

He threw the ball to his teammate, and everyone cooperated very well.

Don't be so forgetful; put your things in a safe place.